Goldfish
by RileyMLG
Summary: "What exactly are you trying to do, again?" I asked, amused. "Well," she huffed lightly, "I'm trying to charm the flower petal to float to the bottom of the bowl and then transform into a goldfish before it hits the bottom." JP/LE general fluff.


My name is James Potter and I have an unhealthy obsession with goldfish.

No, not that artificial cheese-flavored Muggle snack- I'm talking about real fish. When I was younger, I had a whole tank of them. I've always liked them, ever since I was a little spoiled brat. Or should I say, a younger version of who I still am. Or who I was. I don't know. I've tried to change, since it's seventh year and my last chance at being Lily's... something. Acquaintance, friend, eternal lover- I'd prefer the latter, but anything will do. Anything's an upgrade from the last six years.

It's the second month of school and I'm much further than I thought I'd be by now- she's actually looking at me without scowling! I think she's warming up to me. Can't say I blame her- I'm awesome.

Alright, well, I never said I'd change entirely.

I changed enough, at least, to be venturing to the library at an hour I would have spent planning pranks, had it been last year. Halfway there, I realized I had forgotten my Charms textbook in the classroom, so I doubled back to retrieve it, grumbling all the way. Just because I'm choosing to do the homework doesn't mean I can't complain about it, right?

Approaching the corridor lazily, I stopped in the doorway and took in the scene that rushed up to greet me. Lily Evans, my Lily Evans, pacing around a glass bowl and muttering incantations with her ten-and-one-forth inch willow wand. Her auburn hair was frizzed with frustration and she kept agitatedly blowing it out of her startling emerald eyes, which I was surprised to notice shone with unshed tears.

"I never pictured you to be one to sneak into the Charms classroom for a late-night snog, Evans. I must say I'm impressed." I said casually, leaning against the door frame. A moment later, I panicked, thinking that what I said was something I would have said last year, but she just straightened up and attempted a weak smile.

"Ah, you caught me." she said dryly, collapsing beside the empty bowl onto a chair.

"Looks like your partner was a no-show, then."

"Bully for me." she said sarcastically, closing her eyes and laying her head down on the desk. "Why are you here, Potter?"

"I forgot my Charms textbook. What about you?"

Lily opened her eyes and arched a brow. "I thought we established I snuck out for a snog."

"No, really." I asked.

She sighed. "Slughorn's been so kind to me, ever since I was eleven."

"I've noticed. But what does that have to do with anything?"

"Emmaline told me that some other Slytherin's have been giving him a hard time for playing favorites with a Muggle-born."

"I still don't understand." I said, beyond confused.

"I just- I wanted to do something nice for him, you know? I'm trying to charm a flower petal to turn into a goldfish, but I can't seem to get it right."

My eyebrows quirked up. "I like goldfish."

She rolled her eyes, still laying her head sideways on the desk. "I'm not making you one, if that's what you're asking."

"That's not what I'm asking." I retorted.

"Than what are you asking?"

"I'm not asking anything! All I said was 'I like goldfish'!" I insisted, laying my head down in front of me, too.

She seemed surprised by the sudden close proximity, but didn't say anything about it. "I guess I'm just used to arguing with you, then."

"It's in the past, Evans."

"You've been a great Head Boy this year." she begrudgingly admitted.

"Always the tone of surprise." I chuckled. "You've been a great one, too. Girl, I mean. Head Girl, not Head Boy... _I'm_ Head Boy. Merlin, that sounds weird to say."

"You're rambling." she pointed out, her folded arms she was using as a makeshift pillow nudged mine.

"I've been known to do that."

"Really?"

"Not really. It's Peter who gets nervous." I grinned.

Her lips turned upward into a slight smile. "Why are you nervous?"

Bloody wench knew just how to catch me off guard.

"Knowing what kind of hexes lay on the other side of your wand is enough to make any bloke nervous." I recovered quickly. It didn't matter- she saw that I was momentarily stunned already.

Bugger, she won this round.

You see, Evans and I, we have a sort of game. I call it The Game. Original, no? It's kind of like jumping off a cliff, but much more dangerous. Whenever we argue or having shouting matches, the real point is to see who catches who off guard. Whoever freezes up first loses. It's like an unspoken thing between us. I think. Maybe she's not aware. I'd be good if she wasn't aware, actually, considering how she nearly always wins. Yes, I think I'd prefer The Game to be one-sided.

"Right. Well, I'd better get back to work." she stood up, returning to circling the crystal bowl, jabbing her wand at it every so often. I was grinning at how her face grew more and more red as she decided to ignore the fact I was still in the classroom.

"Need a hand?" I asked after a few minutes of little to no progress.

She pulled her vibrant hair into a knot. "No, thank you." she said stiffly, wiping a bead of sweat from her pale complexion.

"What exactly are you trying to do, again?" I asked, amused.

"Well," she huffed lightly, "I'm trying to charm the flower petal to float to the bottom of the bowl and then transform into a goldfish before it hits the bottom. I'm going to give it to him for his birthday, in April, but I need to figure it out now."

"Seems easy enough." I teased.

"Git."

"Why don't you just transfigure it into a fish?" I scratched my head in wonder. "Or, better yet, drop the whole 'fish idea' and sock Slughorn in the mouth for being a Slytherin."

"_James._"

"W-What?" I stuttered. Smooth, right?

"I said '_James_'... I don't see what- oh! I, uh, meant, _Potter._" she said quickly.

_I_ won the game this round.

"Besides," she continued with flushed cheeks, adverting her eyes to the not-so-interesting cobblestone floor of the Charms classroom. "he's not a _bad_ Slytherin."

I scoffed. "Every Slytherin is a bad Slytherin."

"What about Urhines Sedera?" she challenged.

My dark brow furrowed. "He killed seven Muggles, so obviously he's bad, but he wasn't... oh."

Lily smirked. "He wasn't a Slytherin," she finished for me. "he was a Gryffindor. Does that mean that every Gryffindor is a bad Gryffindor?"

Blast, she won again.

"Evans, you're too good at arguing. I think it'd be in my best interest to drop this conversation."

"Agreed."

"Why won't you transfigure it, though?" I asked after a few moments of deep thought.

"Because you're the transfiguration wiz, not me."

"I'll teach you," I offered hopefully, flashing a smile.

"Okay, suppose you teach me. Am I supposed to wait in Slughorn's office until he comes in so I can silently transfigure it and then sneak out?"

She had a point. She always does.

"Well, Evans," I said, standing up. "we'll just have to figure something out."

"What do you mean- no. No. You're not helping me with this, Potter." she argued, sliding the bowl away from me cautiously.

Wordlessly, I crossed to gather my abandoned Charms textbook and flipped it open randomly. "Try this method," I suggested, pointing to the page.

"You didn't even read what it says." she said dryly, ignoring the volume in my hands.

"Well, looking for something won't work." I stated as if it were obvious.

"How do you mean?"

"You just have to try something. If you spend your life meticulously planning every little detail, nothing'll be a surprise." I said. Lily's jaw dropped at my sincerity. See, I can be deep sometimes! "I reckon that taking an option that you normally wouldn't have in the first place can be much more rewarding if you somehow make it work."

Her emerald eyes stared at me for a moment, and then she looked away shyly. "Alright, then." she said uncertainly, hoisting the book out of my hands as if it would bite her.

I just watched as she read the passage and then thought about how she could use it to help her with her project. About a half hour later, she figured out the charm and giddily told me to close my eyes. I did hesitantly.

"Open them," she urged a minute later. I obliged and found myself spectacles-to-glass with the bowl. As my gaze set on the lily petal, I started falling... falling... finally, right when I was sure it would rest gracefully on the bottom of the bowl, it morphed into a miniscule fish who started swimming happily in the clear glass.

It was utterly transfixing. I doubt even _I_ could have performed such a feat of incredible magic. Voldemort and his Death Eaters are barmy- Lily Evans possess one-hundred time the magic of the lot of them combined. I was utterly speechless.

"I win this round, yeah?" she spoke up.

I whirled around to look at her. "You know about The Game?" I asked, bewildered.

"Of course I know about The bloody Game! I win nearly every time, don't I?" she grinned at me.

"You're brilliant," was all I managed to get out.

"Thank you, Potter," she said sincerely, pushing my textbook back into my hands. "...James."

And with that, she pressed a chaste kiss to my cheek and walked out of the classroom, bowl in tow.

My name is James Potter and I bloody love goldfish.


End file.
